Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-03-12

ing power OF the person Is a tonic; but It
must not 10 too cold, or two lengthy, lest
fatigue. exhaustion, or even severe prostra.
tioD. 1t Is valuable, moreover, as a curative
agent under some circumstances, due to its
shock. In this way the shower, douche and
sea bath are beneficial. The warm bath Is
relaxing, and II prolonged IL enervating.
The hot bath produces like results, often
causing excited action OF the heart and other
disagreeable symptoms.
Children who have sluggish circulation,
poor appetite aud feeble digestion are oiten
benefited by systematic cold bathing. So
also are children prone to take cold and
those suffering from ricketts,. Nervous all.
ments such as st Nitus' dance and Growing
Group are often helped by cold bathing.
The most available and beneficial method of
employing the cold bath for children Is by
sponging. Very young children should not
be treated by cold baths at ALL unless they
be speedily ordered but an older infant or
young child may be sponged, or rising,
with safety and advantage II the room be
quite yarn, or II 1t be placed before the fire.
The sponge can be then rapidly passed over
one part after another, onitting the face.
neck, hands and feet for a couple of minutes,
(rhs time may be increased to five as the
child becomes accustomed to the bath.)
The warm bath is used remsdlsIly mainly
Tor two rurposes-to bring blood to the sur
lace and to relax spasns. IL IL the former
purpose that leads to the use OF the general
warm bath or the foot bath in multitude OF
instances. II, for example, there be head
ache aud presumably the brain Is fuller of
blood than usust the solicitation o: tiow OF
blood To the extremites by the heat Of the
bath will tend to relieve this fu,lness, and
thus ut once to relieve pain and 10 promote
sleep.
In similar way the hot bath relieves
many ailments which are attended by. and
perhaps dependent upon, the presence of too
much biood-L g the congestion oi-some
Internal organ. This also explains why the
not bath Is useful "to briuz out" as the pop
ular phrase is, the eruption In the eruptive
| levers, such as measles or scarlatina- . . .
The power of hot water to relax muscular
| spasms its value in u humber of ailments,
| such as muscular cramps, common collie, in
| which latter ailment the effects of heat may
bs continued by the use OF hot bottles, bags
oil not salt, or siQilar domestic devices. 1t Is
| chiefly for this reason also that the hot bath
has been 40 universally used for the coavul
siOns of children.
There Is pother use OF baths in sickness,
| and that Is to lower the ten perature OF the
| body. 1t IL noticeable fact that while In
health baths viii not lower the temperature
| AS shown by the use of the thermometer IN
the mouth or bowels unless they are carried
| to the degree OF utter prosiratiop yet when
| the temperature is abpnrmsliy high o
when there is fever-baths will produce
| lowering which In general way correspond,
| In degree and duration to the cDldness OF thu
baths employed. Medical men often fee
] oullsoO o mako us6 or patnS OF Qnlte low
4 Temperature; but in domestic practice these
| (thst IL TO say, immersion baths aud douches,
should no. be attempted without medics
| sanction.
The baths most suitable for domestic us,
to calm fever are sponRing, packing, aud the
tspid, full bath. Spongipg of the entire bod
with cool water, say about 20 degrees f., Il
usually very grateful, aud, II It be prolonged
results In some lowering OF the temperature
The comfort 1t gives, however, is not entire l.!
due to tho cooling, but in part to the soOth
Ing O! An irritatsd skin and the removal o
acrid secretions due tn fever. When tn
patient complains OF chilliness the sponginl
should DO discontinued, The cold pack
usually more efficient than simple sponging
but on the whole the most convenient mVthO
for domestic practice IL tho tend bath.
A bath may be prepared Of % degrees or
little lower, aud the child placed in 1t in tn
usual way. 1t will be noted that while % dc
grees is not much below the normal tsmperI
lure Of 0 S6degrees r., 1t 10 quite little belo'
an abnormal lltsmperature OF say l02 degree
or lO3 degrees. II the ba, be agreeable aud !
no way depressing, II may be gently cOOle
down In repeating 1t by the addition OF cOOlt
water, ssy to 30 degrees, and in subsequeI
trials to s5 degrees +. or even 80 degrees
But without specific directions 1t IL betts
that nursery guardians should err on the sa
side, and not give too cold baths.